Marion County deputies arrest two men after finding meth in a Citra house

Two Citra men were arrested Tuesday morning after they fled from Marion County Sherriff’s Office deputies who found methamphetamine inside the house the men were leaving.

William Shane Thompson, 37, and Eric Douglas Heinemann, 37, were leaving a house on West County Road 316 when they saw Sgt. Joe VanWheelden and Deputy Roy Johnson, who were following up on another case, approaching. They ran to the west end of the house, according to a police report.

Heinemann then ran north and jumped over a porch rail, according to the report. Johnson caught up with Heinemann, searched his pockets and found 1.5 grams of a suspicious white powder, according to the report.

“It’s either meth or cocaine. I’m not sure,” Heinemann said when asked about the substance. It was later identified as meth.

Heinemann went to the house to purchase the drugs from Thompson, Heinemann said, but deputies arrived before he could pay.

Marion County Sheriff's Office

William Thompson of Citra

When the two returned to the house, VanWheelden was with Thompson and some witnesses. VanWheelden described a strong chemical smell coming from inside the house, according to the report.

The deputies searched the house and found a liquid gas generator under a sink. In Thompson’s closet, they found clear, gallon-size zip-close bags filled with 563 grams of a clear substance that later tested positive for meth, according to the report.

Thompson said the bags do not belong to him.

The deputies also found a black cloth bag that contained more meth, three grams of marijuana and a variety of pink pills by the front door, and a powder on the front porch tested positive for meth, according to the report.

Thompson and Heinemann were transported to the Marion County Jail and charged with possession of methamphetamine and resisting an officer without violence. Heinemann was released after he posted bond, Marion County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Judge Cochran said.

Karly Kehres wrote this story online.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said Thompson was 27 years old.

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